Sonja Lyubomirsky

It turns out that the process of working toward a goal, participating in a valued and challenging activity, is as important to well-being as its attainment.

No one in our society needs to be told that exercise is good for us. Whether you are overweight or have a chronic illness or are a slim couch potato, you’ve probably heard or read this dictum countless times throughout your life. But has anyone told you--indeed, guaranteed you--that regular physical activity will make you happier? I swear by it.

All that is required to become an optimist is to have the goal and to practice it. The more you rehearse optimistic thoughts, the more ‘natural’ and ‘ingrained’ they will become. With time they will be part of you, and you will have made yourself into an altogether different person.

It is a truism that how you think—about yourself, your world, and other people—is more important to your happiness than the objective circumstances of your life.

If an unhappy person wants to experience interest, enthusiasm, contentment, peace, and joy, he or she can make it happen by learning the habits of a happy person.

If you’re not happy today, then you won’t be happy tomorrow unless you take things into your own hands and take action.

One of the great obstacles to attaining happiness is that most of our beliefs about what will make us happy are in fact erroneous.

If you want to reap long-term emotional benefits from a happiness activity, you need to devote persistent effort. Of course, if you identify with and enjoy what you are doing, you’ll be more energized and committed.

No one in our society needs to be told that exercise is good for us. Whether you are overweight or have a chronic illness or are a slim couch potato, you’ve probably heard or read this dictum countless times throughout your life. But has anyone told you—indeed, guaranteed you—that regular physical activity will make you happier? I swear by it.

... working toward a meaningful life goal is one of the most important strategies for becoming lastingly happier.

It turns out that the process of working toward a goal, participating in a valued and challenging activity, is as important to well-being as its attainment.

All that is required to become an optimist is to have the goal and to practice it. The more you rehearse optimistic thoughts, the more ‘natural’ and ‘ingrained’ they will become. With time they will be part of you, and you will have made yourself into an altogether different person.

There are many ways to find meaning and purpose. One is to establish a metric by which our life will be judged and, from today, to resolve to live each day in such a way that our life will be graded a success.

The ideal goals are ones that nourish our basic drives to grow, feel competent and self-sufficient, connect with others, and contribute to our communities.

Distracting ourselves from toxic comparisons, concentrating on our own internal standards, and focusing on the journey in pursuit of our dreams, rather than on the end result, will redirect our attention and energies from the ‘I’ll be happy when ____’ mentality and toward more fruitful horizons.

Learning to be more positive and optimistic means learning to see opportunities in difficulties, to construe the world as full of possibilities and wonder.